


The "Ugly Duckling"

by Number_Twelve



Series: The Umbrella Academy Oneshots & others [7]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Diego Hargreeves is Bad at Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Family Issues, Gen, Good Sibling Diego Hargreeves, I wrote this instead of sleeping lol, POV Vanya Hargreeves, Protective Number Five | The Boy, Running from home, Vanya Hargreeves Deserves Better, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Vanya Hargreeves Needs Help, sort of...?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25997920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Number_Twelve/pseuds/Number_Twelve
Summary: Number Seven. Vanya Hargreeves.The black sheep of the family. Why couldn't have anyone helped her out?Would anyone stop her if she... just left?
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Vanya Hargreeves
Series: The Umbrella Academy Oneshots & others [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885216
Comments: 4
Kudos: 152





	The "Ugly Duckling"

Vanya had read many fairytales. She didn't have to- couldn't- participate in the missions her siblings went on, so she spent that time in the mansion with Grace and Pogo or-rarely- accompanied her father to watch. And when she did watch, she was always filled with longing. Longing to be there with her siblings, to find a propper place between them as the seventh, to belong. Yet, she never had. She had always been seen as an outcast, and it hadn't taken her long to accept it, as much as it hurt her. She was the black sheep, the fragile one, the weakest. Only Five, Ben and Klaus actually looked at her, perhaps even tried to include her in something (which barely ever happened), but even then it didn't make her feel any better. Luther and Allison were attached at the hip, Diego and Luther were always bickering, Five was... well, Five was Five, Ben was always with Klaus or just stuck in the middle. And Vanya. Vanya was like their shadow. Not even her father seemed to love her. Pogo and Mom, they were probably the only two in the house with whom she interacted with the most.

In those days were she had to stay in the mansion, she had hours to spend. Alone. Grace, she had taken pity on her and had brought up to her bedroom a tattered, old book with fairytales from her father's library. At first, her mother had read them out to her, but soon enough Vanya was reading the letters in each page by herself, treating each story with reverence and love. Fairytales were like a way to forget about her life. She was willing to read about happy peaople, in their happy worlds, with their sweet, happy endings. Of course, some stories were sad, but with happy endings. She was reduced to tears after reading _The Ugly Duckling_ , and for good reason. She was the ugly, little duckling who wasn't loved. But in the end, she would turn out to be a swam. She turned her head to look at her reflection on the mirror hanging on the wall of her room, staring at the girl with the long, straight hair and the quiet eyes looking back at her. 

…would it happen?

She turned her door knob as quietly as she could, wincing when the wooden floor under her feet creaked in protest. She froze then, afraid someone would wake up and find her there. Seconds went by, but nothing happened. She forced herself to slowly release the breath she had been holding onto, readjusting her backpack's strap around her shoulder. She had put on her warmest jacket, boots and packed everything she thought she would need, including her beloved book.

By the time morning came, a note would be found upon her bed, signed with her name.

_I won't be returning any time soon. Now I am an ugly duckling, but soon enough I will be a swam._

She knew that the words would sound cheesy to her family's ears, but to her they were her mantra. A way to push herself to keep going, to keep living despite the world. She stepped out into the hallway, closing the door quietly behind her before slowly heading for the stairs. She slowly went downstairs, the mooight's light outlining her shadow and plastering it on the far wall. It was all silent. She turned her head to look at her mother one last time, sitting on that armchair, facing the paintings. She wished she coukd give her a hug, say goodbye... but she had to leave now if she wanted to make it quick. She reached the landing and looked around her, at the house she had known her entire life. She stood there for a minute, taking it all in, before walking to the door, breath hitched. She stretched out her hand, turning the handle, and pushed the door open to let the cold, night air hit her bare face. She stepped outside, boots crunching on the snow as she shut the door behind her, the hard, cold wind hitting her, sending shivers down her spine as she headed for the gate.

Soon she was out the gate, slowly walking down the side walk. She hadn't really made any plans yet, but she knew one thing: she had to get as far away from the mansion as she could. She knew as a fact that the next train to Montreal should be leaving in a couple of hours. 

The bell tinkled as she pushed open the door to Griddy's, a small coffee/donut shop that Five had taken her to once. She would get something warm to drink and eat, wait out the next hour and then head to the station. She sat on one of the stools by the counter, setting her bag down on the stool next to her, as the waitress came to ask her for her order.

"Do you have milk?" Vanya asked.

"Of course, dear. Would you like me to warm it?" the waitress asked with a big, kind smile. Vanya smiled a little.

"Yes, please." she said gratefully. "And do you have any sandwiches?"

"Yes! We have beef, ham, chicken or salad."

"I'll have the one with the salad."

"Just give me a few minutes and I will get it ready for you, dear."

"Thanks."

Vanya sat there, staring at her hands as she listened to the waitress bysy herself while she hummed a nice, cheery tune. The bell tinkled again as the door opened, letting in cool air that hit the back of Vanya's neck and sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. The waitress set down her cup of warm milk before her and she thanked her as she set the rest of her order before her. Vanya took a sip from the milk, thankful for the warmth it offered. Maybe it was good she was doing this. That she had some control over where she was getting to. Be more... independent. And anyways, she doubted she would get missed back home. The Hargreeves were better off without her. She wondered what their reaction would be, when they found out she had left. Would they care? Panic? Or... would they just forget her? That, as much as it pained her to think, was probably what would happen. No doubts there.

"Fancy seeing you here," she jumped, shocked, and turned her head to see that Five was seated next to her, siping at what seemed to be coffee, looking at the display of donuts the shop had.

"Wh- what are you doing here?" Vanya stammered. The corner of his mouth twitched, as if amused by her question.

"I could ask the same of you." she nearly fell off her stool, turning her head to the left to find Diego- of all people!- sitting there, playing with one of his knifes. Was he going to kill her? No. He couldn't. She was their sister. But then, Five and Diego were... deadly.

"I- I needed space." she muttered, looking at the cup of milk in her hands.

"What's with the bag?" Diego asked her, lifting the bag in question. That was where her money was. Damn.

"It has money. For my midnight snack." She said. It was partly true. Five set his mug down with a soft thud, turning his head to look at her. She avoided both her brother's gazes, staring at the menu board hanging on the wall.

"We saw the note." Diego said after a short moment.

"Wh- what note?"

"The one you left on your bed. Concerning... ducklings. And swams." Her other brother said calmly.

" _Ugly_ Ducklings." Vanya corrected with a snappish tone.

"Yeah, whatever. Did you really think you would go unnoticed?" Diego asked her.

"… no."

"Well, guess what, you did." Diego said, af if she hadn't already guessed.

"I'm not blind to that."

"Diego. Shut up. You are just going to make things worse than they already are." Five said before Diego could reply. He tried to, but the glare Five gave him shut him up. "This is no time to go around snapping at each other, and we all know it."

Vanya snorted. She took a long drink from her cup before replying to his words, leaving the two waiting. "What do you two even care about this?"

Both exchanged exasperated looks. Five roughly turned Vanya's seat to face him, and she recoiled at this. It was scary when Five was angry or annoyed. It was terrifying when he was both.

"Listen here," he said in an equally scary voice, eyes thundering. Vanya leaned back, and even Diego had the decency to look worried fo his sister's safety. "We care. You are our sister." he jabbed her chest at that, making her flinch, "Do you think we wouldn't have gone through all the trouble to follow you if we hadn't, eh? I have no idea what exactly you have in mind, but if you are leaving- for good, Vanya- then please. Just _don't_."

Vanya got off her stool, wrenching her bag from Diego. She dug in one of the outer pockets and dug out a fifteen dollar note, slamming it on the counter.

"Could I get that packed?" she asked the quiet waitress. She took a moment to act, putting the sandwhich in a bag as Vanya drained the last of her milk. Neither Five nor Diego got their feet, watching as Vanya packed the sandwhich away and stomped to the door.

"Vanya?" Five called after her. She stopped just in front of the door. A silence. "I just wanted to say that your violin skills have gotten a lot better."

She was gone before either of them could utter another word.

"Where is Number Seven?" Reginald asked. They were all seated at the table... all except the seventh. There was a long, silence in which they all glanced at Vanya's empty seat. Five and Diego exchanged a glance.

Father wold be furious.

Five cleared his throat, looking at his father. "We actually-"

"Sorry I am late." all heads snapped sideways as Vanya appeared at the entrance of the dining hall, looking a bit scared. No one noticed the few flakes of snow on her hair, nor the fact that she was a bit paler than usual. "Ma- may I still join you at the table?"

"Take your seat, Number Seven." Reginald said. She nodded and hurried over to her seat, pulling back the chair and sitting down. For a few minutes nothing haopened. She glanced up, meeting eyes with both Five and Diego.

Maybe it was just her... it was probably a flash of the light.

But... was that... relief…?


End file.
